KBF Class 1
Anand Shah is Senior Vice President at Ola, India’s largest ride-hailing platform. He leads the Ola Mobility Institute and drives strategic communications for the company. He is also co-founder of Ola’s Electric Mobility, embodying Ola’s interests as a leading provider of electrified mobility services. Anand previously served as Senior Vice President, leading the India and South Asia practice, of the Albright Stonebridge Group. Mr. Shah brings over 20 years of experience working across the private and social sectors and has significant experience building and growing businesses in India. Before joining ASG, Mr. Shah led global strategy for new ventures at BMW Group on urban impact and autonomous mobility. He also was an advisor and manager at Audi AG in the Social Innovation department, where he applied engineering, design, and manufacturing techniques to sustainable, urban innovation. Mr. Shah founded and served as CEO of Sarvajal, a technology and market-based provider of clean water to across India, and he holds several patents in drinking water distribution technologies. In addition, Mr. Shah helped establish Ahmedabad University and has worked extensively in India on policy in higher education, solar energy and urban infrastructure. Mr. Shah was the the founding CEO of the Piramal Foundation and a co-founder of Teach for India. He also was a co-founder and executive director of Indicorps, a non-profit organization that connects the Indian diaspora with opportunities to contribute to India’s development. He holds an A.B. in evolutionary biology from Harvard University and studied science, ethics and society at the California Institute of Technology. Mr. Shah is proficient in Hindi and Gujarati. He is based in Washington, D.C. Anand is a TED India fellow and He is a Fellow of Class 1 of Ananta Aspen’s Kamalnayan Bajaj Fellowship and part of the Aspen Global Leadership Network
Leadership project/venture: Sarvajal
Anand calls his project “Sarvajal”, meaning “water for all” in Sanskrit. Sarvajal pioneered a rural franchising model to help small entrepreneurs set up businesses to promote and provide affordable access to safe drinking water in villages across India. Sarvajal has also developed several innovations in water delivery, including a cloud-connected “water ATM” that places a clean water source within reach and available 24/7. The project aims to (1) create a fully-market based model to finance local drinking water solutions, (2) use technology to monitor, manage, and ensure delivery of service, and (3) encourage “beyond-the-grid” thinking in last mile water innovation. Sarvajal serves 100,000 litres of clean drinking water daily in over 6 states and has created 400+ jobs that encourage safe water practices in local communities. More information can be found on: www.sarvajal.com
Anuj Poddar is the Executive Director of Bajaj Electricals Limited, India’s leading Consumer Appliances, Lighting and Engineering Projects company. In this role, Anuj Poddar is responsible for managing all the business verticals and operations of the Company. Prior to this he was a member of the Leadership Team at Viacom18 Media Private Limited and was also one of its founding team members. During his over 13 years with the company, he has held various senior leadership roles. He joined the company originally known as MTV Networks India and is credited with having crafted its India growth vision and spearheaded the formation of the Viacom 18 Media joint venture, as well as having architected the blue print for its very successful foray into mass entertainment with Colors. Over the years, he played an integral role in the growth of the company, including its expansion into international territories, the acquisition and launch of its motion pictures business as well as its foray into the regional language networks business. He also led strategy for MTV Networks Asia, based out of Singapore. Prior to Viacom 18 Media, Anuj spent nearly a decade with Arthur Andersen and KPMG and was involved in a range of consulting, mergers & acquisitions and assurance services to a range of clients across financial services, consumer, IT & ITES and other sectors.. Anuj is a rank-holding Chartered Accountant and lives with his family in Mumbai, India. He is a Fellow of Class 1 of Ananta Aspen’s Kamalnayan Bajaj Fellowship and part of the Aspen Global Leadership Network
Leadership project/venture: Vocational Skills Courses
Anuj’s project aimed to set up a vocational skills training course for unemployed youth from under-privileged backgrounds. The courses imparted skills related to the hospitality and retail industries. While the initial project set-up was championed by Anuj in 2008 under the aegis of the Young Indians (Yi) body, Yi continued to run it for 3 years. During this period, overall 350 under-privileged youth were enrolled and trained.
Govindraj Ethiraj is a television and print journalist who has reported and written on Indian business for over 25 years. He is a media executive and entrepreneur whose ventures are safeguarding the transparency, accuracy, and integrity of the internet in general and news in specific in India and world-wide. Most recently, he founded BOOM (www.boomlive.in), a fake news busting initiative that tracks and debunks viral hoaxes in real time, often time preventing community violence by stopping rumours that stir up ethnic hatred. He also founded the award-winning IndiaSpend (indiaspend.org), a public interest journalism outfit which uses data to write and syndicate stories in areas like health, education and environment, and FactChecker (factchecker.in) which monitors media, politicians and other figures for accuracy. BOOM and FactChecker were India’s first verified members of the International Fact Checking Network (IFCN), a part of the Poynter Institute. IndiaSpend is a member of the Global Investigative Journalism Network (GIJN). Govindraj was named a 2018 McNulty Prize Laureate in recognition for his leadership with BOOM, IndiaSpend, and FactChecker. Govindraj also anchors seasonal shows on Indian news television – the current one being `Aegons of Business’ featuring conversations with young entrepreneurs on Bloomberg Quint and earlier the weekly `Policy Watch’ on public service broadcaster Rajya Sabha or RSTV. Previously, he was Founder-Editor in Chief of Bloomberg TV India, a 24-hours business news service launched out of Mumbai in 2008. Prior to setting up Bloomberg TV, he worked with Business Standard newspaper as Editor (New Media), and before that, Govindraj spent five years with the television channel CNBC-TV18, where he actively drove most of the channels’ programming growth and expansion. Prior to television, he worked in print in The Economic Times and leading business magazines. He is a Fellow of Class 1 of Ananta Aspen’s Kamalnayan Bajaj Fellowship and part of the Aspen Global Leadership Network, and a winner of the 2014 BMW Responsible Leaders Awards.
Leadership project/venture: India Spend
IndiaSpend addresses an important gap in the public discourse and debates that take place in India, particularly in the context of governance and accountability. IndiaSpend.com uses data to tell stories in areas like healthcare, education, infrastructure, women’s issues and child development as well as does Fact Checks on statements that those in public life make, particularly when there are issues of governance involved. This helps not just improve the quality of debate but also, more importantly, empowers young Indians to ask the right questions on issues that matter to them and their future. IndiaSpend is now available on multiple platforms like Dow Jones (and by extent Wall Street institutional) Yahoo News and large Indian newspapers like Hindustan Times and Business Standard and public service television stations like Rajya Sabha TV. Many senior journalists are increasingly collaborating with this platform for their articles and columns. IndiaSpend is available on social media via Twitter & Facebook. It also launched a spin-off initiative called www.factchecker.in
Karti is a politician from Chennai, India. He is a member of the All India Congress Committee. He was selected by the American Council of Young Political Leaders (ACYPL) to observe the U.S. Presidential Elections, 2004. Karti has been politically and socially active in his home state of Tamil Nadu. He has played an active and crucial role as a campaigner in all state & national general elections since 1996. He is an eloquent speaker in English and Tamil. He plays an active role in development of sports and participates in select Management Committees of Cricket, Tennis & Athletics. He is one of the founders of the Chennai chapter of Young Entrepreneurs Organization, a worldwide association of young entrepreneurs. Karti has co-founded an online social forum, “Karuthu” (means opinion), which promotes freedom of speech. He is a founder-director of Chess Management Services Private Limited, a Company actively involved in Corporate Governance and Legal Compliance Management. He holds a Business Degree from the University of Texas, Austin and a Law degree from Cambridge University, England. He is a Fellow of Class 1 of Ananta Aspen’s Kamalnayan Bajaj Fellowship and a member of Aspen Global Leadership Network.
Leadership project/venture: India Interview Training
Karti is working with one of the largest companies in India, Infosys, to bring lecturers to local schools to instruct students on how to get through an interview process. He is also discussing the possibility of getting additional lecturers from ICEC Bank. Students will go through six months of employment training. At this point, Karti is not focused on setting up internships with companies, but this might be a future addition to the program.
Minal co-founded Saffronart in 2000, and has been instrumental in developing it into a leading international auction house. She has provided leadership in every area of the company, ranging from strategy and business development to technology and finance, and in expanding its presence beyond Mumbai to New Delhi, New York and London. She also successfully steered the company towards new businesses, including jewellery, textiles and other collectibles. Minal has been an active collector of Indian contemporary art over the last 20 years, and has curated, planned and organised exhibitions of Indian art in India and internationally. She is a regular panelist and guest speaker at Indian contemporary art events as an industry expert. She has been on the board of advisors to the Friends of Sir J J School of Art Trust and Time Out magazine India, was featured in Art + Auction magazine’s global power issue, and has co-chaired the FICCI committee on Arts and Business.n 2005, she led a review of Saffronart’s business when the Harvard Business School published a case study on the company, which continues to be studied by MBA students across business schools. Prior to founding Saffronart, Minal was a management consultant with Booz, Allen & Hamilton in Mumbai, where she worked across several industries in the US, South East Asia and India. She holds an MBA from INSEAD in France, and a BS in Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering with a minor in Art History and Indian History from the University of California, Los Angeles. She is a Fellow of Class 1 of Ananta Aspen’s Kamalnayan Bajaj Fellowship and part of the Aspen Global Leadership Network
Leadership project/venture: Art and women issues
In this project four Artists in a year go to their communities and work with local crafts people, especially women and girls. They create art works to highlight issues that need to be addressed particularly around economically impoverished communities. The works are exhibited and then sold with proceeds going toward those communities.
Mukti is the Managing Director of Dena Hospital. Prior to that she was the Secretary, Jan Jagran Samiti in Almora, Uttaranchal. Mukti initiated a weaving project for women that started with ten women and two trainers, from the leprosy rehab centre in one village. The project grew organically to over 700 women trained that were then able to make marketeable shawls and accessories. The Panchachuli Women Weavers transformed into a private company with women as shareholders and on the board of directors, with upmarket hotels in India buying retail outlets, and a growing market in the US and Europe. This economically self-sustained industry is the largest in the hills of Uttaranchal and functions with a credit limit from a bank. The second institution Mukti launched is the Dena Hospital, which today is the best-equipped secondary health care facility in the state. In addition, she also runs an intermediate college for girls, where 126 girls from rural families get the opportunity for vocational training after they graduate (nurses, accountants, weavers) as well five primary and two junior high schools. Her next plan is to start a women’s movement in Uttaranchal to empower women politically, socially and economically. She is a Fellow of Class 1 of Ananta Aspen’s Kamalnayan Bajaj Fellowship and a member of Aspen Global Leadership Network.
Leadership project/venture: Empowerment of Rural Women
Mukti’s project will empower thousands of underprivileged women of the Himalayas region. She started a women’s movement in Uttaranchal which empowers women politically, socially and economically. Mukti will take her working experience and translate it into a large area population.
Dr. Rajan is the Chairman of ECube Investment Advisors, which is launching in partnership with Quantum Advisors a new Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) fund, the Q-ECube India ESG Fund, which will invest in the Indian public markets, focused on the small and mid-cap listed space. Prior to this, he held a number of senior executive positions through his 23 year career with the Tata group, including Chief Ethics Officer of the Tata group, the first Brand Custodian of the Tata group, head of the foreign offices of Tata Sons, Chair of the Tata Global Sustainability Council, Member of the Group Executive Council at Tata Sons, Head of Private Equity at Tata Capital, and Managing Director of one of the group’s listed telecom businesses. He served on the boards of various Tata companies including Tata Teleservices, Tata Communications, Roots Corporation, Piem Hotels, Tata SIA Airlines, Tata AIG, and the TCS Foundation. He has also served as the Chairperson of the Environment Committee of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), and as the Chair of the India@75 Council of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Chair of the CII Core Group on China. In 2007, the World Economic Forum honoured Dr. Rajan as a Young Global Leader. Dr. Rajan graduated from the Bachelor of Technology program at the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi in 1989. He received a Rhodes Scholarship to study at Oxford University, where he completed a Masters and Doctorate in International Relations. His doctoral dissertation titled “Global Environmental Politics – India and the North-South Politics of Global Environmental Issues” was published by Oxford University Press in 1996, and his second book, “The Brand Custodian” was published by HarperCollins in 2019. He is a Fellow of Class 1 of Ananta Aspen’s Kamalnayan Bajaj Fellowship and part of the Aspen Global Leadership Network
Renu, an officer of the Indian Administrative Service, 1988 is the Additional Chief Secretary (Finance, Planning & Home), Government of Delhi. Her previous posting as Principal Secretary (Finance & Home) was in Mizoram. Prior to this, from 2012-15 she was in Brussels as the Deputy Chief of Mission of the Embassy of India to the European Union, Belgium and Luxembourg. A graduate from Lady Shri Ram College, Delhi, she has a M.Phil degree in Political Science from Jawaharlal Nehru University and a doctorate from Sciences Po, Paris. She was selected as the international scholar in the prestigious Fondation Nationale d`Entreprise et Performance, Paris in 1999-2000 to work on the project “I`Exercise du Pouvoir dans l`Administration et l`Entreprise Privee” (management and administration in public and private enterprises). From 2000-2006, as the Secretary to the Chief Minister, Delhi, she also headed the ‘Bhagidari’ (Citizen-Government Partnership) initiative which won the United Nations Public Service Award 2005. Renu was associated with the writing of the first Human Development Report 2006 for Delhi. She has worked in the Ministry of Commerce & Industry from 2006-11, both as a Director and later as a Joint Secretary. In her service period spanning more than thirty years she has held diverse portfolios related to district and municipal administration, finance, taxation, commerce, industry, personnel and good governance.
Leadership project/venture: Manual for the Implementation of the Right to Information Act
Renu’s project developed a manual within the Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion to facilitate the smooth implementation of the newly enacted Right to Information Act, 2005 in India – an act which opens doors for the citizens to access the information available with government and government organizations. The project benefits the Indian people and the administrators who use the information.
Sanjay is the founding partner of the law firm of Archer & Angel and primarily based in the firm’s New Delhi office. He is the head of the firm’s Corporate and Intellectual Property practice and has over 20 years of experience. Sanjay has been assisting clients which includes world’s leading Multinationals in FMCG, Electronics, Information Technology, Real Estate, Hotel and Restaurant Chains, Food and Beverages, Technology etc. Sanjay has extensive experience in advising both domestic and foreign corporations on corporate issues, ranging from foreign investment and exchange control regulations applicable in India including regulatory approvals, structuring foreign investments into India and domestic investments overseas, incorporation of companies, joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions including extensive due diligence on target companies, corporate governance and director’s liabilities, corporate compliance issues and preparation and advise on transaction documents.
He also advises on a wide variety of legal issues affecting intellectual property, including drafting and negotiating agreements for protection of trademarks, brand names, domain names, copyright and designs, management of portfolios and enforcement mechanisms. In addition, Sanjay has extensive experience is advising corporations on legal and regulatory issues, ranging from foreign investment regulations, industry specific approvals, regulatory matters affecting trade and business. Sanjay is also on the Board of a number of companies offering expertise to companies on a variety of issues in such capacity. Sanjay obtained a Bachelor of Laws (L.L.B) and Bachelor of Arts (majoring in Political Science, Hindu College) from University of Delhi in India and has previously worked with a leading law firm in Boston, United States.Professionally, he acts as counsel and sits on committees for various non-profit organizations working to better economy, sports and culture in India including India Youth Soccer Association. He also is a member of International Trademark Association (INTA), International Franchise Lawyers Association (IFLA), Inter Pacific Bar Association (IPBA), American Bar Association (ABA), Asian Patent Attorneys Association (APAA) and Bar Council of India.He is a Fellow of Class 1 of Ananta Aspen’s Kamalnayan Bajaj Fellowship and part of the Aspen Global Leadership Network
Leadership project/venture: Water harvesting in a pocket of Vasant Kunj area, New Delhi
Over the years the population of the Vasant Kunj area in Delhi has grown and tube wells ensuring the water supply were dug throughout the area. This consistent digging has led to falling water levels and near depletion. Sanjay’s project aims to harvest water thus recharging the water table and improving the environment of the area. Cooperation with government agencies and adjustments in the resident’s consumption habits are necessary to ensure success.
Sanjay comes from Indian Administrative Service and currently is the Joint Secretary, GOI and Director in Admin & Finance of National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd. Prior to this he was the IT Secretary to Government of Andhra Pradesh, Information Technology & Communications Department. During his career with the government, he has been an ardent advocate of Information technology for development. Sanjay is a post graduate Mechanical Engineer and a cost accountant by background. An innovative project ‘Hyderabad First” of the Municipal Corporation of Hyderabad initiated by him won the Golden Icon e-Governance Award of the Government of India under the process reengineering in professional category and also bagged the award “India’s Best e-Content” in the category of e-Governance from 25 states by the Manthan-AIF Award Grand Jury 2006, New Delhi. During his previous tenure as Collector & Dist. Magistrate, West Godavari in India, a rural e-governance initiative e-seva pioneered by him was won the Gender ICT Award and “Tony Zeitoun ICT Stories Competition” of the Global Knowledge Partnerships at the WSIS-Geneva and also won a nomination for the Stockholm Challenge Award for the year 2004. The project pioneered a self-help based e governance model to bring technology to serve the poor. During his previous stint as Municipal Commissioner, Visakhapatnam, a comprehensive facility “Saukaryam” was completed to improve delivery of the civic services and has become a flagship project providing immense benefits to citizens. The project won many international awards including the Cyber City Award of UNDP. While working in a primary education project, a project titled ‘Headstart’ for computer-enabled education was initiated and completed by him. The last seven years of his professional career have allowed him opportunities for evolving and developing ICT4D projects. This has also helped him to maintain live contacts with the projects taken up both by government and non-government organizations in India. He has made presentations on e-governance all over the globe including at WSIS-Geneva and in the World Summit on Sustainable Development held in Johannesburg. He has participated in international and National Conferences on the development of information Society. He had written many papers that have been published and awarded in National and International journals and publications. He has recently been awarded e.gov Champion award by DataQuest Magazine. He has also completed his Post Graduate diploma in Management recently. He is a Fellow of the Class 1 of Ananta Aspen Centre’s Kamalnayan Bajaj Fellowship and a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network.
Leadership project/venture: Spreading education resources more evenly across the world
This project academically and financially sponsors Indian students from government schools in grades 10th and above, pushing them to achieve in school and pursue higher education. Plans to scale up the effort to a community level are in the works.
Mr.Sanjay Jayavarthanavelu ,an MBA from Philadelphia University,USA, is the Chairman and Managing Director of Lakshmi Machine Works Ltd.,Coimbatore. LMW, is one of the three leading Textile Machinery Manufacturers in the world, manufacturing the complete range textile spinning machinery. Mr.Sanjay Jayavarthanavelu is a Trustee of the G. Kuppuswamy Naidu Charity Trust which runs a 600 bedded multi-specialty hospital, a higher scondary school and a feeder school in Coimbatore and an Arts College at Kovilpatti in Tamil Nadu.He is a Trustee of GKD Charity Trust,which runs a Management Study College (DJ Academy for Managerial Excellence & DJ Academy of Design) and an Industrial Training Institute (GKD Institute for Technological Resources). He is the Chairman and Managing Trustee of the Coimbatore Masonic Charity Trust which runs a children’s hospital and a working women’s hostel. He is an Executive Committee member of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI), NewDelhi. He is the Chairman of the Southern Regional Council of the Confederation of Indian Industry(CII). He is the ViceChairman of the Council of Administration of SITRA. He is the Chairman of the Uyir Trust, Coimbatore. He is a fellow of Class 1 of the Ananta Aspen Centre’s Kamalnayan Bajaj Fellowship and a part of the Aspen Global Leadership Network.
Leadership project/venture: Masonic Children’s Hospital
Sanjay aims to improve the lives of children through education outreach programs and by providing quality healthcare. Children within a 200 KM radius around Coimbatore will benefit.
Shivinder Mohan Singh is an entrepreneur who has always aspired to change the way Healthcare was delivered in India and the world. He is the founder of Fortis Healthcare Limited, a leading integrated healthcare delivery provider in the Asia-Pacific region, driven by a vision to save and enrich lives through clinical excellence. Fortis healthcare spared across primary healthcare, specialty day care, diagnostics and hospitals across Asia with over 50 healthcare facilities and over 300 diagnostic centers spanning across the length and breadth in India till the time he was at the helm of affairs. His significant contribution to the Indian Healthcare sector has been widely acknowledged and his strategy for Fortis and its execution has been recognized by the Harvard Business School as a case study. In his initial, Shivinder, created the foundation of the culture of Fortis by leading the first hospital at Mohali as its COO. He also led the development of Fortis through its initial years by conceptualizing its strategy and growth through various greenfield projects and acquisitions. He was instrumental in the group’s effort for the acquisition of Escorts Heart Institute and Research Centre Ltd (EHIRCL) in 2005; Malar Hospital in Chennai in 2008 and the Wockhardt acquisition in 2009. He has conceptualized, designed and built the most modern hospital in India and Asia, the Fortis Memorial Research Institute, a destination hospital in Asia. He is actively involved in many industry bodies and various new initiatives. Shivinder was on the Steering Committee of Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and board member of Aspen India and a Governing Council Member of All India Management Association (AIMA). He also chaired a Ficci’s Committee on Culture and its youth initiatives. He is one of the Founders and the past President of NATHEALTH (The Healthcare Federation of India) a body that serves to become the industry’s voice; shaping the future of the Indian healthcare industry. Shivinder is a board member for AIESEC, the world’s largest student-run organization and a platform for young people to explore and develop their leadership potential for a positive impact on society. He is also a Young Global Leader, an anchor initiative of the World Economic Forum. Shivinder has done his MBA with specialization in health sector management from the Duke University Business School, USA. He is an alumnus of Doon School and an Honors Graduate in Mathematics from St. Stephens College, Delhi. Shivinder is also on the board of visitors of Duke University Business School. He is a Fellow of Class 1 of Ananta Aspen’s Kamalnayan Bajaj Fellowship and part of the Aspen Global Leadership Network
Leadership project/venture:
(1) Fortis Foundation HIV/AIDS Program (2) Treating children with life-threatening diseases
Shivinder pursued two projects. His first project implemented a comprehensive education program to sensitize all employees of Fortis about HIV/AIDS, across its hospitals and group companies. The projects also motivated these peer educators to reach out into the community and greater society to educate on issues of HIV/AIDS. The results were overwhelming with upwards of 75 percent of employees being covered via the program. Shivinder’s second project provides treatment for children with life-threatening diseases. Shivinder has tied up with many institutions, for instance: Rotary Club of Chandigarh and Afghan Red Crescent Society. The latest in these developments is his collaboration with The Being Human Foundation (started and run by Salman Khan) to treat children under the age of 5 who have congenital heart issues that are life-threatening.
Sudha has two MS degrees in Molecular Biology and Genetics and a PhD in Health Education. After spending 13 years in the US studying and working in institutions like The Johns Hopkins University and Sinai Hospital, she returned to India to be a serial techno entrepreneur for the last 19 years. She was a pioneer in e-learning and skilling in India. Sudha’s latest venture is Quadratyx, a Big Data Analytics and AI company, which she co-founded in 2014. As a member for the Governing Council of Young Indians, (Yi, CII), Sudha served as the National Chair for Youth Affairs for two and a half years. She conceptualized and rolled out the Yi Bridge program, working with students in schools and colleges in the country. She was also the Yi National Chair for IT, Health and Rural Initiatives. As head of Rural Initiatives, she rolled out a career counselling program for rural students. She is a Fellow of Class 1 of Ananta Aspen Centre’s Kamalnayan Bajaj Fellowship, a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network and a trained moderator for Ananta Aspen. Sudha has been practicing yoga and meditation for over 15 years. She is interested in alternate forms of health care and is a certified acupressure therapist. She is fluent in seven languages.
Leadership project/venture: Srishti Annam
To address the hunger issue in India, Sudha Iyer committed to feeding at least 150 people per day for 100 days in Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh, India. The initial phase of the “Srishti Annam” (i.e.: “Together We Can”) project was so successful that Sudha and the organization decided to scale up the project. So far over 370,000 meals have been served. In the next five years, Sudha hopes to build and sustain 2000 feeding centres across the country that will each feed 50 persons a day. Altogether, the goal is to feed 1,00,000 persons a day. In addition, Annam seeks not only to feed the poor, but to train, counsel, rehabilitate and employ them, so that ultimately they can bring themselves out of poverty. As part of their commitment they already train people in catering and food service, and in food production. For more information see: www.srishtiannam.org.
Sumeeta is a social development professional and strategist. She is currently working as a Policy Specialist at the UN Office of South-South Collaboration at UN Headquarters in New York. She provides substantive support on various aspects of South-South Cooperation & Triangular Cooperation including to inter-governmental processes, Reports of Secretary General and UNDP Administrator and policy advice for UN Coordination. She is also focal point for the India UN Development Partnership Fund established in 2017 to support Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States to achieve Sustainable Development Goals. In 2018, she spent few months in Bangladesh, designing interventions as part of the UN’s response to the Rohingya refugee crisis and developing UNDP’s Democratic Governance Strategy for Bangladesh. Prior to this, Sumeeta was leading the Democratic Governance portfolio for UNDP in India from 2007-2017, designing and managing complementary policy and technical initiatives for Government which reduce poverty and improve local service delivery across several states. She handled a portfolio of programs advising national administrations on how to leverage technology and good practice to achieve development goals and deliver social value on a wide range of themes including sustainable development goals (SDGs), public administration, digital governance, access to justice, election management, capacity development for local governance and decentralization, human development, and rights based social security interventions. In the last two years, Sumeeta also advised sub-national governments in mainstreaming SDGs in plans and designed tools for monitoring and implementation, including innovation labs. From 2005-2007, she was leading a ‘Community of Practice’ (CoP) on Poverty Reduction for the United Nations in India, part of the UN’s Knowledge Management Partnership Initiative ‘Solution Exchange’. Prior to joining the UN in India, Sumeeta spent several years, 1994-2005, with the Canadian International Development Agency leading projects in the areas of democratic governance, human rights, child rights, inclusive education, livelihoods and, HIV/AIDS. Sumeeta is a Fellow of the Inaugural Class of Ananta Aspen’s Kamalnayan Bajaj Fellowship and a member of Aspen Global Leadership Network and BMW Foundation’s Global Responsible Fellow. She did her Undergraduate Degree in History from the Lady Shri Ram College in New Delhi and her Masters in International Relations from the Diplomatic Academy in Vienna. She is also a linguist and has a Masters degree in German from JNU and Diploma in French and Spanish.
Leadership project/venture: Sharing in the Private Sector
This project works with various stakeholders, such as CII, developing a comprehensive strategy for sharing of experiences and lessons, amongst India’s industry and private sector, on effective initiatives in the area of employability and skill development for the unorganized sector. The purpose of the project is to disseminate and replicate practical and market-based models in order to work on solutions addressing the “skills famine.”
Sumita Ghose is the founder and managing director of Rangsutra, a social enterprise which works for socio economic development in rural India by engaging both: the community and the market. Rangsutra is owned by over two thousand artisans- most of whom are rural women. Rangsutra provides design, marketing, technical and organizational support needed to make crafts and allied rural industries into viable enterprises, so that they provide regular village based employment to rural artisans. Prior to setting up Rangsutra in 2006, Sumita lived and worked in different parts of rural India for many years working with rural communities for social change and economic development. Sumita has a Masters degree in Economics and in Conflict Resolution. She is a Fellow of Class 1 of Ananta Aspen’s Kamalnayan Bajaj Fellowship and a member of Aspen Global Leadership Network. She has been the recipient of several awards, including a Fulbright Fellowship, the latest being the Nari Shakti Puraskar, awarded by the President of India, on 8th March 2016. She is a Yoga practitioner and a certified Yoga teacher. She is a Fellow of Class 1 of Ananta Aspen’s Kamalnayan Bajaj Fellowship and a member of Aspen Global Leadership Network.
Leadership project/venture: Social Empowerment
Sumita is creating a model for social empowerment and employment through crafts and organic farming. She plans to build upon existing skill sets of artisans/farmers, give them increased access to design, technology and markets, and access to better tools. Additionally she intends to insure that the 1500 artisans/farmers in the collective will reinvest some of their profits back into their collective so that they can have access to health insurance, education, etc. The project is different in that it is not primarily established to increase profits, but to build the social welfare system for the members of the collective, and to ensure that the artisans are true stakeholders in the company.
Ms. Vishakha Mulye is an Executive Director on the Board of ICICI Bank since January 2016. She heads the Wholesale Banking Group (WBG) at the Bank. Ms. Mulye, a Chartered Accountant, has been with the ICICI Group since 1993. In her career, she has handled several responsibilities in the areas of strategy, treasury & markets, proprietary equity investing and management of long-term equity investments, structured finance, management of special assets and corporate & project finance.Ms. Mulye led the team that planned and executed the merger of ICICI and ICICI Bank in 2002. She also led the team which negotiated and concluded the merger of erstwhile Sangli Bank with ICICI Bank. From 2002 to 2005, she was responsible for the Bank’s structured finance and global markets businesses, and its financial institutions’ relationships. In 2005, she took over as the Group Chief Financial Officer. In 2007 she was elevated to the Board of ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company and in 2009, she assumed leadership of ICICI Venture Funds Management Company as its MD & CEO. Currently, apart from ICICI Bank, Ms. Mulye is also on the board of ICICI Lombard General Insurance and chairs the board of ICICI Bank Canada. Ms. Mulye was selected as ‘Young Global Leader’ in 2007 by the World Economic Forum. She received the ‘India CFO Award’ in 2006 from IMA India for ‘Excellence in Finance in a Large Corporate’ and ‘CA Corporate Leader Award’ in 2008 from the Institute of Chartered Accountants. In February 2012, she received the ‘GR8! Women Awards’ from the Indian Television Academy for her contribution as an ‘Eminent Personality in the field of Banking’. In March 2019, she was felicitated at News 18 Lokmat’s award ceremony ‘Mukta Sanman’ for her work in the field of Business and Finance. Ms. Mulye features in several power lists such as the ’Most Powerful Women in Indian Business’ by Business Today and ‘Most Powerful Women’ by Fortune India. She was inducted into Business Today’s ’Hall of Fame’ after being featured seven times in a row in its power list. She is a Fellow of Class 1 of the Kamalnayan Bajaj Fellowship and a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network
Leadership project/venture: Basic Education for India
Vishakha is looking to standardize the quality of the education people receive, to create a model that can be followed in each community when setting up a school. Her goal is to provide some incentive for people to go to graduate schools besides just having the basic education, perhaps by offering them job opportunities if they graduate.
GOLDMAN SACHS FELLOWS
Jesse heads BTIG’s Asian and Australian Regional Trading Operations. Before coming to BTIG, Lentchner held senior executive positions with Goldman Sachs. Most recently he was Co-Head of Execution Services for Asia. Prior to that, he was Managing Director, Head of Securities in India, where he built and ran the equities and fixed income businesses. Before moving to India, Lentchner was Head of Execution Services and Co-Head of the Equity Sales Trading Desk in Tokyo. Prior to his time with Goldman Sachs, Lentchner worked as an equity sales trader in Tokyo at Nomura and in Hong Kong and New York at W.I. Carr. He started his career trading fixed income for a Japanese bank in New York. H He is a Fellow of Class 1 of Ananta Aspen’s Kamalnayan Bajaj Fellowship and a member of Aspen Global Leadership Network.
Leadership project/venture: Phillipino Student Assistance
Jesse’s project grew out of a personal experience in which he and his wife supported a woman in the Philippines in her educational process so that she could go to medical school and get a degree. He is now setting up a fund and looking to identify candidates for individual underwriting to help advance them through the education system, so that they are encouraged to continue through graduate/medical school.
Prashant is the former head of Emerging Markets Equity and the lead portfolio manager of the Global Emerging Markets Equity, India Offshore Equity and BRIC Equity strategies for Goldman Sachs Asset Management (GSAM). Prior to assuming this role, he spent seven years in Mumbai as head of the India Equity team. Prashant joined Goldman Sachs in 2000 as a member of the US Growth Equity team in GSAM, first as a research analyst, then as a portfolio manager and later as a senior portfolio manager and co-chair of the Investment Committee. He was named managing director in 2007. Prior to joining the firm, Prashant was an assistant portfolio manager in the Fundamental Strategies group at State Street Global Advisors. Prashant graduated with honors from Bombay University with a BE in Mechanical Engineering and earned an MBA in Finance from the Owen Graduate School of Management at Vanderbilt University, where he received the Matt Wigginton Leadership Award for outstanding performance in finance. He was awarded the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation in 2001 and is a fellow of The Aspen Institute, India. Prashant and his wife, Ritu, have a daughter and two sons. He is a Fellow of Class 1 of Ananta Aspen’s Kamalnayan Bajaj Fellowship and a member of Aspen Global Leadership Network.
Leadership project/venture: Financial planning for weaker sections of society
This project facilitates planning for weaker sections of society – particularly the domestic staff and clerical staff – which do not have easy access to the financial system. The project takes a portion of the individuals’ income (7% employer, 7% employee) and sets it aside into a specific savings account. This amount would be invested into fixed deposits or other financial securities upon choice of the account holder.
Ravi is the Chief Administrative Officer for Goldman Sachs in India. Along with the CEO, he is responsible for the Firm’s global business activities out of Bangalore & supports its domestic businesses in India. His specific responsibilities include, Risk management, Finance & regulatory and Corporate Services. He is the chair of the India Risk Committee and serves as a member on key business committees in India & Asia. Ravi’s other responsibilities include, directing the Firm’s community engagement and corporate social responsibility efforts in India, & driving Government relationships in Bangalore. He joined Goldman Sachs in 1998 as a vice president in Hong Kong, eventually becoming financial controller for Asia Pacific Ex-Japan in 2002. He relocated back to India in 2004 as the Chief Financial Officer and was largely responsible for setting up the Goldman Sachs office in Bangalore. He was named managing director in 2006. Ravi is a fellow member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, a Fellow of Class 1 of Ananta Aspen’s Kamalnayan Bajaj Fellowship and a member of Aspen Global Leadership Network.
Leadership project/venture: Primary Health in Udaipur
Ravi is looking to support an organization near Udaipur that helps getting primary healthcare to residents. The organization teaches midwives and non-primary health care givers to administer basic health care to their patients. Ravi has already helped the organization to create a preliminary business plan to help get investors. The plan includes (1) building a school/training institute which can help train these non-clinical workers; (2) getting an organization like Acumen involved and committed to building funding for the project; (3) implementing the training.
Sandeep Patel is the Chief Financial Officer for Califia Farms, a leading independently owned plant-based health & wellness company that is rooted in a mission to improve human and planetary health by returning food to its original nourishing purpose. Califia inspires and delights consumers globally with its innovative, broad based portfolio of plant based solutions, which include almond and oat based milks, dairy free creamers, yogurts, and cold-brew coffees. As CFO and a key member of Califia’s executive leadership team, Sandeep heads Califia’s finance and technology teams and works closely with Founder & CEO Greg Steltenpohl in leading various cross-functional strategic and operational initiatives. Sandeep joined Califia Farms in June 2018 after a nearly 20 year career in investment banking as a Managing Director at Goldman Sachs and Barclays. At both institutions, Sandeep advised a broad range of corporates, entrepreneurs, and investors on important strategic and financing matters across the consumer products, agriculture, and technology landscapes globally. He also co-founded Goldman Sachs India and the social impact banking initiative at Barclays. He is broadly recognized as having a differentiated understanding of the food and beverage industry from soil to shelf and the critical inter-connections across the value chain with both brands and technology. Sandeep earned degrees in biology, economics and law from Williams College, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Yale Law School, respectively, and was a Fulbright Scholar. He has a life-long passion for environmental sustainability and the wisdom of a plant-based lifestyle, having led initiatives to make plant based foods more available to students in the US and conducted research on agro-ecological practices in East Africa and India. He is a Fellow of the Inaugural Class of Ananta Aspen’s Kamalnayan Bajaj Fellowship and a member of Aspen Global Leadership Network.
Leadership project/venture: Child auto safety in India
Sandeep aims to reduce fatality rates of children in auto accidents by increasing the use of child restraints, raising awareness and increasing the availability of low cost but high quality devices.
Shobana is currently involved with various collaborations in fashion and textile design, specifically research projects visualized through fashion. She is also focused on impact investing targeting sustainability and fair trade in the garment sector. Her background is a unique blend of a strong business mindset, experience in emerging markets and a creative passion in design. Shobana began her career in 2002 at Goldman Sachs International in London. As an analyst she worked in the special execution group in the Investment Banking Division. As an Associate, she spent one year in the executive office at Goldman Sachs working with WTO member countries on financial services liberalization during the DOHA Development Trade Round. Subsequently, she moved to the Financing Group structured finance team structuring and executing bespoke financings for emerging market counterparties. As an Executive Director, she continued in this same role on the trading floor within the Fixed Income Division. While at Goldman Sachs, Shobana sat on the steering committee of the Goldman Sachs London Asian Professionals network and was the representative for the Investment Banking Division since 2002. She was also involved in mentorship and recruiting efforts. She is a member of the Evian Group international trade discussion group. In 2010 Shobana was hired as a Managing Director by Standard Bank Plc in London to replicate the bespoke financing initiative she developed at Goldman Sachs with a specific focus on Sub Saharan Africa. Her passion in the arts became formalized after attaining a degree in Fashion and Textile design from the Parsons School of design in NYC. She continues to build her experience as a designer through participating in various exhibitions and other collaborative work. Shobana received her Master of Science from the London School of Economics in law and accounting/finance. She studied finance for a year at the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business. She earned her BA in international political economy from The George Washington University Elliott School of International Affairs and spent one year focusing on international affairs at the London School of Economics.She is a Fellow of Class 1 of the Kamalnayan Bajaj Fellowship and a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network. Shobana is married to Gianni Lorenzato, a fellow entrepreneur and is a proud mother to Jasmita, Yash and Gayatri.
Leadership project/venture: Social impact of craftsmanship
Shobana’s project is focused on social impact in the fashion and design industry. From the perspective of India, this is through creating business channels for artisan work that is focused on design aesthetic which utilizes craftsmanship. From the perspective of the West, this is through creating channels in education for youth that show particular talent in design. Initially, her strategy is to participate in research initiatives where she can rely on her design skill set to visually draw interest to the cause.
Bunty is chief executive officer of Goldman Sachs Services in India. He is responsible for identifying opportunities to further integrate functions in Bengaluru and Singapore, in line with the firm’s global office strategy. Bunty is a member of the Partnership Committee, Asia Pacific Management Committee, Asia Pacific Capital Committee, FedCom, the Global Recruiting Council and serves on the Pine Street Board of Directors. Bunty joined Goldman Sachs in 1996 in the J. Aron Currency and Commodities Division, where he traded commodities for four years in New York and London. He spent one year working on the development and launch of Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), an electronic derivatives exchange and trading platform, before becoming franchise manager of the Commodities and Futures Services business units. Prior to assuming his current role in 2009, Bunty was global head of the Structured Product Syndicate desk in the Mortgage Department of the Fixed Income, Currency and Commodities Division in New York. He was also co-head of the Structured Finance Group in the Americas. Bunty was named managing director in 2005 and partner in 2010. Bunty earned dual SB degrees in Chemical Engineering and Management Science from MIT in 1996. He is a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader, serves on the Advisory Board of the MIT Sloan Finance Group, is a member of the Young Presidents’ Organization and previously served on the Asia Society Corporate Diversity Council. He is a Fellow of Class 1 of Ananta Aspen’s Kamalnayan Bajaj Fellowship and a member of Aspen Global Leadership Network.
Leadership project/venture: Tutoring for illiterate girls in Jodhpur
This project seeks to tutor illiterate girls in Jodhpur in association with a local girls college
